Family Blood
by MissScaryKitty
Summary: After two years of being held against her will, Ursula Phantomhive escapes the mysterious Cavendish Academy for Young Ladies and finds out that her brother, Ciel, is alive. Returning to the manor, she finds herself thrown into a world of cultists, reapers and demons. Sebastian/OC
1. A Reunion

After two years of being held against her will, Ursula Phantomhive escapes the mysterious Cavendish Academy for Young Ladies and finds out that her brother, Ciel, is alive. Returning to the manor, she soon discovers she is a bit out of her depth with cultists, reapers and demons and ends up making a deal with a certain handsome butler to help her protect her family. Sebastian/OC

**Chapter One: A Reunion**

Ursula gripped tightly to her wet traveling coat as she stared at the steady flames dancing calmly in the fireplace. This was the perfect place to take shelter from the rain, she thought wearily. Tucking her feet under her chair, she laid her head on the table. Her fingers slipped from her mug of cider letting it sit unattended.

She had never been to a pub before. Why would she? It would be a scandal to see a Lady enter one of these establishments. But she was no longer a Lady. In fact, she supposed she was nobody now. What a sobering thought.

When she was a girl, she often dreamed of being a gypsy. She could travel the world free from responsibility. Her imaginary vagabond life was far quainter and certainly less dangerous than what it actually turned out to be.

Deep inside the pub was cozy and comforting. She could have stayed there all night if she wished, hiding from the darkness and the rain. But the risk was too high. The safety she felt there was only an illusion, a dangerous one that could get her caught. Just the thought of it brought her to her feet. They were sore and her balance was off but she wasn't going to sit back down. Those who hunted her could be anywhere among the crowd.

Approaching the bar she paid for her drink and made for the door. As she turned to leave, something she overheard stopped her. The man next to her dropped the name Phantomhive. Ursula's sapphire eyes widened in shock. She had not expected to hear that name from a stranger's lips. Not since her family's death two years ago. Holding in a gasp, she inconspicuously leaned her back against the bar to listen in.

"Strangest thing really. After two years the Phantomhive boy just appeared out of thin air. Built the manor back up and everything." The elder of the two men commented.

There was a derisive snort from the youngest. "I'm sure the people running the Funtom Toy Company are happy to hear there's a master back in the house."

Ursula gripped onto her the edges of her coat, desperately kneading them with her hands.

"Don't you know it? They're probably putting their heads together right now, planning on how to get rid of him."

That was all she needed to hear to set her in motion. Pushing through the crowd, she ran out into the rain.

Impossible, she thought, bringing her hands up to cover her mouth. She knew her shock was evident to anyone who saw her but she couldn't help it. She felt as if someone had just knocked her clean off her feet. The downpour began drenching her to the bone, sufficiently hiding the large tears that welled up in her eyes. Her breathing was short, coming out in small gasps but she kept moving down the road.

Could Ciel really be alive after all this time? The hope of something so miraculous had never crossed her mind. But those men were speaking of it as lightly as one would the weather. It must be true, she thought. How she hoped it were true.

Wasting no time, she reversed her direction and headed back towards the countryside. If there was even the slightest of truth in what the men were saying, she had to know. Fighting through the wind and the rain, she slowly made her way toward Phantomhive Manor.

It had taken her two days traveling on foot but she had finally made it. When Ursula came upon the familiar little bend in the driveway, her heart jumped into her throat. The manor would be just a little ways beyond. She began to run down the muddy road hoping beyond hope she would find something other than a charred pile of rubble.

Rounding the bend, she dug the heels of her boots into the wet ground. Unable to hold back a cry, she stared up at the structure in front of her with large tears in her eyes. Before her stood Phantomhive Manor in all it's glory. Every white stone, every tree was just how she remembered it. She did not know how, but there it was. In fact, she was too overjoyed to care.

She continued on towards the house, slowly, tentatively. As if it would disappear at any moment. The pebble walkway crunched pleasantly underfoot, clearly sounding her approach. Every bush and flowerbed stood proudly in their planters, presenting themselves to her as she walked by. It all was immaculate. The entire house was recreated perfectly, down to every detail.

Ursula placed her hand on the front door, almost as if she were waiting to feel a pulse. It was strange to think she would have to knock and wait to be received like a stranger in her own home. Curling her fingers into an unfamiliar fist, she rapped twice on the finished wood. She could hear it echo from inside. The whole place sounded empty. Wringing her hands together in nervous anticipation, she couldn't help but wonder if that was loud enough. After a moment Ursula pressed her ear to the door and listened for any sound of approaching footsteps. There was nothing. Suddenly she felt the door give way and she jumped back.

Startled, she slowly gazed up at the person who answered the door. He was tall, lean, and incredibly handsome. His jet-black hair fell over his eyes like brushstrokes, framing the most beautiful red eyes she had ever seen. His aura was ethereal in a way and shaded by mystery. And his posture was nothing short of immaculate. He stared down at her with a polite smile that never quite reached his eyes. It took a good long moment for her to realize he was the butler.

"Good afternoon, madam. Welcome to Phantomhive Manor. How may I help you?" His voice was like black velvet but it did not cover up the fact that she was a stranger in this house. She did not expect to be recognized in the least but it still made her feel slightly hallow inside.

What would this man say if she were to tell him she was the long lost Phantomhive daughter? He would think she was crazy and send her on her way. She had to see Ciel. But in order to get to him, she had to lie. What story should she tell him, though? He seemed smarter than your average butler. Pursing her lips, she took in a thoughtful breath and then put on a proper smile.

"Good day, I'm... Ursula Underwood, secretary to Mr. Thomas Bartelbee director of the Funtom Toy Company, India branch. I have an urgent message for Lord Phantomhive about several ongoing discrepancies in our shipment manifests. It seems that someone in the company is stealing merchandise during transport. We were hoping to get permission to look over your master's ledgers- see at what point in the rout the shipments are being thinned out and by how much."

Sebastian immediately knew there was something not right with her story. If there were anything wrong with the company's numbers he would have caught it himself. He was about to dismiss the young lady- redirect her to their office in London where she would most certainly be turned away as well- but there was something about her that stopped him. That straight blonde hair, those large sapphire blue eyes. Though they were dulled by her traveler's garb, he had seen them somewhere before- the woman in the portrait above the stairs. Lady Phantomhive. Though the girl before him looked to be no older than 18, the family resemblance was unmistakable.

Ciel had spoken only once of his sister- that she was alive but voluntarily absent. He once overheard Madam Red say she had been sent away to secondary school only a month before the incident. With that knowledge one would conclude she had gotten out before any tragedy struck her. But if this young woman was indeed the mysterious Ursula Phantomhive, as he suspected, she certainly didn't look as if she had escaped her family's tragedy.

Regardless if his hunch were right or not, his curiosity was piqued and he wasn't averse to having a bit of excitement for today. Worst-case scenario would end with him escorting her off the property. In the end, this was too delicious of an opportunity to pass up.

"I'm sure my master would be more than happy to show you his ledgers, Miss Underwood. Please, right this way." He said, stepping aside to let her in.

As she passed over the threshold she couldn't help herself and stole a sidelong glance at the handsome butler. Unfortunately, he caught her staring and she immediately averted her gaze. Sebastian watched her cheeks turn pink from embarrassment with some pleasure. If she really was Ciel's sister, life in the manor could become quite interesting indeed, the demon thought to himself.

Once she was inside, Sebastian watched her take in the lavish sight of the entry hall. Her face turned white as a sheet, her large eyes widening as she looked around. It was as if she had seen a ghost.

"Beautiful, is it not?" He smiled, looking down at her.

"Yes. Breathtaking," she managed to say, still unable to take her eyes off of the vision before her.

The parquet floors, the Louis XIV couches, the marble staircase… they were exactly the same as before she left two years ago. And there it was, unmistakable, the portrait of her mother and father hanging above the stairs. She wanted to run up to it, to gaze upon their faces once more and remember exactly what they looked like. But she held back knowing it would only arouse suspicion.

Sebastian then took the lead. "This way, Miss Underwood. The young master is in his study."

She nodded, following him up the stairs. The demon noticed her stealing glances at the painting as they passed and smiled to himself. Her resemblance to Lady Phantomhive was striking. She was pretty under that layer of dirt, rather distinguished looking despite her middle class garb, not to mention she was gifted with Ciel's same haughty air. He could readily assume now that pride was simply a Phantomhive trait.

He made sure to lead her down the hallway slowly so that he could enjoy her taking everything in. After all, the reconstruction was a marvel to anyone who knew the original manor. The awestruck expression on Ursula's face told him she was either going to run away or faint. In any case, he was ready for either situation.

Soon they arrived at her father's old study. Sebastian politely asked her to wait outside as he went in to announce her.

Inside, Ciel Phantomhive was pouring over some plans for a store opening in Belgravia next month. Hearing his butler enter the room, he glanced up at him briefly with his good eye.

"Yes, Sebastian?" He asked, not bothering to pull himself away from his work.

"There is a Miss Underwood from Funtom's India branch here to see you," the demon informed him.

Ciel let out a tired sigh as if he couldn't be bothered. "What's the nature of her visit?"

"I believe…"

"Ciel?"

Both men turned their heads to see Ursula looking into the study from the hallway. Ciel stared at her in disbelief, his mouth slightly agape as he stood up and rounded the desk. "Ursula," he breathed in recognition.

The young lady then ran through the doorway past Sebastian who made no attempt to stop her. Reaching Ciel, she fell to her knees and enveloped him in her arms.

"Oh Ciel!" she cried in relief. Ursula had never thought it could really be him but there he was, safe and sound. It was beyond her most hopeful imaginings.

Pulling back, she looked into his good eye. It felt as if the bottom dropped out of her stomach then. He wasn't smiling, or happy, or relieved. He looked… utterly dejected.

To Be Continued!

**Author's Note:** Going into this story I was a tad worried about how it might be received. OCs are dodgy at the best of times. However, the idea of Ciel having an older sister kept gnawing at me. I had this vision of a strong woman who would always be a bit out of her depth once she enters Ciel's world. So I decided to give it a go. As I began writing I found that Ursula isn't simply a ride-along OC. She's quite the standalone figure who opens up a lot of new doors in the Black Butler world. Along with the original storyline blossoms a whole new set of stories that center around the Phantomhive family as well as the occult that was popular in London at the time.

What makes Ursula an interesting character to follow is that, though she is a human and not under the protection of a demon, she still manages to keep in-step with Sebastian and Ciel. She is so determined to watch out for her family that she's willing to run the gauntlet to make sure Ciel is safe. She's learned at an early age that family is everything. So whatever dangerous mission Ciel accepts from the queen, we see that she is brave enough to follow him. Whereas Ciel has Sebastian to protect him, Ursula must always go into battle unarmed and I think that is what really makes her a compelling OC.

I hope you have enjoyed the first chapter and look forward to reading the second.

**Next Time:** Ciel is suspicious of his sister's sudden reappearance after two years of being inexplicably absent. In order to gather more information he puts his butler on the job. Ursula soon learns her brother is not the same boy she remembers and that his loyalty to the queen makes protecting him a much harder task than she had imagined.


	2. The Girl In the Mirror

**Chapter Two: The Girl In the Mirror**

Ursula pulled away from her brother, her hands slowly retracting from his person. "Ciel, what's wrong?" She asked, immediately wishing that she hadn't. It was obvious wasn't it? She told herself. In the time of her absence, he too had been well acquainted with pain and the cruelty of men. She did not need to see his eye patch either to know it was true.

Being a gentleman of his breed, Ciel managed to play her question off well. "It's nothing, Ursula. I simply haven't seen you in some time." He told her.

"Of course," she nodded, trying to find some relief in his words but finding none. Everything felt so strained. "It's been over two years. You have grown so much since I last saw you."

"You as well," he told her. This was the truth. Before their parents sent her off to the Cavendish Academy, she was thin and gangly- fighting through that awkward age of late adolescence. Now she was a young woman, delicate and fine-figured like their mother.

"I'm so happy to see that you are alright. All this time I thought… I thought you were dead." She bit out, fighting through unshed tears.

Ciel watched her hang her head and avert her gaze. His sister never liked people seeing her cry. Even when she was young she felt it showed weakness. Being the elder sibling, she had always felt it was her duty to be strong for the family. As head of the Phantomhive family, he knew this feeling all too well.

Pursing his lips, he thought about what to do. It certainly was a strange and unexpected turn of events. Somehow he felt Sebastian was involved with it to some degree. Finally, he spoke, "I'm alright, Ursula. As you can see, I'm unharmed." Sebastian gave him a smug grin then as if to say, "liar". Still, Ciel ignored him. "I'm sure you've had a long journey. Sebastian will take you to your room where you can relax for a while then ready for dinner. We'll talk more then."

Ursula nodded before bringing herself to her feet. Before leaving the room, she turned back to her brother, "I can't tell you what it means to me to see your face again, Ciel." Then she was gone, Sebastian following in tow.

Ciel stared at the empty doorway, his brow slowly knitting together. "She couldn't really be her, could she?" It wasn't impossible… an imposter would be more probable. His sister's absence was a golden opportunity for someone to sneak in and claim to be the lost Phantomhive daughter. It would be too easy. But he was a real Phantomhive after all and he wouldn't be fooled. What's more is with Sebastian in his pocket, he had the power to figure out who she really was.

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Ursula walked down the hall with some trepidation. She knew the way well, but she chose to let Sebastian guide her anyway. What happened back there… it was not at all the reunion she had imagined. But then again, to think that such a tragic story as theirs would end like a fairytale was utterly foolish. Still, she had expected Ciel to feel some sort of tug on their family bond. But his expression was that of stone, his eyes cold. Could it be that he felt nothing when looking at her? The thought made her feel like a rock sinking to the bottom of the ocean. It had been so long, so many months of pain and torture then over a year of wandering. Her efforts to piece her family back together could not have been in vain… not after all she had suffered through.

She looked towards Sebastian, wondering if he could tell her anything about what happened to Ciel in the time she was gone. Could she even trust him? A woman like her could not afford to make friends with the wrong people. She could tell that Sebastian was very important to Ciel, that he held quite a large position of power in the household. Perhaps he would be a good ally to have.

Seeing his red gaze flicker back to hers, she realized that she was staring at him again. Diverting her eyes, she continued to follow behind him until they came to a carved wooden door.

"The young master had all of the family member's rooms converted into guest rooms. We are sorry for the inconvenience." He told her before opening the door to reveal her new room.

Ursula offered him a small, albeit melancholy smile. "It's no inconvenience at all, Sebastian. Thank you for the hospitality, especially on such short notice. Though, I fear I might have just put everyone out for the evening… I hate being a bother," she murmured before walking into the room.

It was decorated in lavish blues and greens complete with carved mahogany furniture and a four-poster bed. "It's perfect… thank you," she told him.

Sebastian nodded. He had a feeling this room would be to her liking. "I'm glad you're fond of it," he told her, watching with some satisfaction as her gaze wandered around the room. "I will send for Mey-Rin to help you get ready for dinner, my Lady." The taste of that title on his tongue was quite nice. The manor would benefit from a woman's touch. He could only imagine Ciel was already planning on how to get rid of her though.

%%%%%%

Sebastian entered the study once more and found Ciel had returned to his chair, his brow knit together in thought. When the boy's sapphire eyes met his butler's dark ruby ones, he saw the satisfied grin tugging at his lips.

"I escorted Lady Ursula to her room and assigned Mey-Rin to be her lady's maid for the evening."

"Mey-Rin? That's sure to be a disaster," the boy muttered.

"Would it be better if I undressed your sister?" The demon asked, a naughty grin tugging at his lips. He was joking of course, but he couldn't resist ruffling his young master's feathers every once in a while.

"Don't you dare think about it, Sebastian," Ciel growled, suddenly becoming defensive. Realizing he was merely joking, Ciel calmed down somewhat. "Do you think she's really my sister?" He asked.

"I think you'd be the most qualified to determine that," Sebastian answered honestly. By now his smile was gone. "Do you know why she was absent for so long?"

Ciel turned to look out the window and onto the garden. "Our parents sent her away to a lady's secondary school. I assumed she had run away because she had stopped answering my letters after the first three months. Wherever she ended up going, she must have heard of my return and come back to the manor. It all seems too suspicious."

All of this new information seemed to raise more questions than it answered but Sebastian withheld his curiosity for the moment. "I suppose you'll hear more about it over dinner?"

Ciel simply nodded. "I'm sure I will. In the meantime, I want you to keep your eyes and ears open. I want to know everything she says and does. Even the smallest detail could be something. Also, get her proper clothes to wear. A Phantomhive, even a potential imposter, must not fall short of excellence."

Sebastian grinned, knowing he would have fun with this task. "Yes, my Lord."

%%%%%%%%%

Mey-Rin ran into Ursula's room with several large white dress boxes stacked on her arms. Ursula watched as the maid tripped over her own feet and flew across the room towards her. Mey-Rin cried out in panic as the boxes went flying through the air. By pure chance, they landed in Ursula's arms. Mey-Rin went crashing to the ground and whimpered in pain as she found herself starting at her new mistress' boots.

"Are you alright?" Ursula asked, shocked by the maid's clumsiness.

Mey-Rin immediately jumped to her feet. "I'm so sorry, my lady!" She vigorously apologized, her face flushing red in utter embarrassment.

Then, seemingly out of nowhere, Sebastian appeared in the doorway."Mey-Rin, try to be more careful. We do not run in the house." He rebuked.

"Y-Yes Sebatian!" She cried, standing at attention.

Sebastian nodded before entering the room and turning his attention to Ursula. "Forgive me my lady," he said taking the white boxes from her and setting them in a neat pile on the bed.

"Please, it's nothing." She said, casting Mey-Rin a concerned glance. The maid looked as if she were about to explode into a nervous fit. Did she have some sort of crush on the devilishly handsome butler? Ursula couldn't very well blame her if she did.

"The master asked that I provide you with some suitable clothes so I made an appointment with a seamstress. She will arrive in the morning to fit you for a new wardrobe. Until then, I took the liberty of selecting a few evening gowns that would be suitable for dinner tonight. I hope they are to your liking."

Ursula nodded, thinking it was odd for Ciel to have his butler pick out her clothes. Not to mention the expediency in which he was able to provide them. That aside, she supposed her dirty traveling garb was not appropriate for dinner. "Thank you, I'm sure they're lovely." She told him.

Sebastian pulled one of his polite smiles then, "Mey-Rin will help you ready for dinner. If you need anything else, please ask."

Once he left the room, Ursula turned to the boxes he had placed on the bed. "Let's see what we have to work with, shall we?" she said. As strange as it was, Ursula had to admit she was curious to see what he brought.

The first box contained a ghastly pink dress with cream-colored lace. She hated pink. Ever since she was a girl she was averse to the color. Lady Elizabeth would have fallen in love with it, however. "I think not," she muttered to herself as she pushed the box as far away from her as possible.

The next box looked as if it were about to burst open at the seams. When Ursula pried off the lid she found that it was basically spring-loaded, stuffed corner-to-corner with powder blue chiffon and white tulle. She had no desire to look like a teacake this evening. "Not likely," she snorted as she set the top back on the box and pushed it next to the pink monstrosity.

Shaking her head, she looked down at the last box. She expected to see something canary yellow, covered in ruffles and satin roses. Instead she found a gown that took her breath away. It was black as crow's feathers; made from silk taffeta so luxurious its sheen was almost blue. This dress spoke of dark desires and even darker secrets. It was a dress fit for a Phantomhive. "This one," she whispered, placing her hand over it, feeling its finery. "This is the one."

Mey-Rin's eyes widened as she looked at the black, low cut gown, her hands flying up to her mouth. "Please excuse me for one second," She said before bolting into the empty closet and closing the door. She then started jumping up and down in a spastic fit. "Oh, Sebastian has such scandalous taste! And so does my mistress! So dark and sexy and… I'm going to faint from excitement!" She whisper-screamed in the confined space.

"Are you alright in there?" She heard Ursula call.

"Y-yes! I'm sorry, mistress!" She cried out, making no move to reenter the room.

"Perhaps we should get started?" Ursula suggested.

"Of course! Right away, my Lady!" She called out. "It feels so strange saying that, yes." She mused before opening the door.

After a long, luxurious bath that was occasionally interrupted by embarrassed squeaks from Mey-Rin who seemed scandalized by female nudity, Ursula sat down at her vanity table and began to dust her shoulders with a light jasmine scented powder. It seemed like ages ago since she had done this routine but it quickly came back to her. She did everything herself, insisting Mey-Rin only help her put on her dress for fear of what sort of beautification nightmare she'd make of her hair and face.

Once she was ready, she walked over to the full-length mirror in the corner to look at herself. For the briefest of moments she was transported back in time, before the incident- to when her life was once whole. But the vision was fleeting, leaving her in the darkness once more. She was no longer that young girl she once knew, so full of hope and full of life. In fact, she wasn't sure what she had become. Parts of her felt hardened, cold as steel. Others felt as brittle as sugar glass, ready to shatter with one wrong look. And all these disparate parts put together still were not enough to make a whole person.

After a few moments, Mey-Rin's reflection appeared in the mirror beside her, shaking her from her thoughts. "Oh, you look so beautiful!" She breathed in amazement.

"Thank you," Ursula said. The dinner bell chimed then and she turned away from the looking glass.

AN: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Please leave a review! Also to any Attack on Titan fans, please check out my new story Battle Cry!

It seems that Ursula is going to have a lot of explaining to do… and she better do it quick seeing as she has a demon following her every move. Next chapter contains a rather awkward dinner and an even more awkward late-night run-in with a certain butler (no lemon yet).


	3. Truths

**Chapter 3: Truths**

As Ursula descended the stairs in her new black ensemble, a ghost of a grin tugged at the corners of Sebastian's lips. He was immediately filled with self-satisfaction seeing that she had chosen to wear the dress he had intended for her. Black was an appropriate color for a Phantomhive and though it wasn't a test, he very much approved of her choice.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs, he gracefully bowed to her. Ursula slowed in her approach, their eyes meeting in a heated moment as she passed him. This time she did not blush, nor did she falter. It seemed she was quickly remembering her status as a Lady.

The demon butler unashamedly took her in as she passed by. Her large blue eyes were lined in black kohl making them stand out from her pale porcelain face. That golden hair fell over her left shoulder in a waterfall of loose curls. It was held up with little more than two silver pins and a small top hat. Those high cheekbones drew Sebastian's eyes down to her rosebud lips, which were set into an adorable pout.

The sight of her reminded him how ravenous he was. It had been so long since he devoured a soul and there was Ursula before him, ripe and ready to be plucked. He had given up mindless feeding ages ago but that didn't mean he couldn't appreciate the idea of a good meal. He watched her until she was out of his sight before he headed back to the kitchen to check on the food. A butler's duties were never done.

Once Ursula passed Sebastian, she let out a breath she didn't even realize she was holding. The way he looked at her was unnerving, like she was a little slice of cake and he was about to devour her. It should have been appalling to her… but she really couldn't say it was. She was intrigued by him… by his constant air of mystery.

Once she entered the dining room, she saw Ciel standing at the end of a long mahogany table, waiting for her.

"I'm glad you remember where the dining room is." Ciel said, a disingenuous smile spreading across his face.

"Why would I have forgotten it?" She asked with a tinge of anger as she went to sit in her chair. Right then, she knew he did not trust her.

Suddenly, Sebastian appeared behind her, pulling out her chair for her. Smiling politely, he announced, "For our first course we have potato and leek soup and a complimentary white wine."

"I'm sorry Sebastian," she said gently stopping him from pouring her a glass of Chardonnay. "But I simply detest white wine."

Pulling the bottle away from her glass, he offered her a sweet, close-eyed smile. "Can I offer you something else, my Lady?"

"I would hate to trouble you, but if you have a pinot noir on hand, that would be lovely."

"Actually, it's the only other wine I've decanted for tonight," he said. It was quite convenient of him.

Now it was her turn to offer him a polite grin. "Perfect, thank you."

It was obvious to Ciel that Sebastian was up to something and this trick with the wine proved it. His sister only drank red wine. He remembered mentioning it one afternoon during tea with a member of the House of Lords and his wife. Sebastian had offered the party French champagne and, seeing the wife's delight, Ciel commented on how it was the only thing his sister used to drink besides red wine. The couple laughed, wanting to hear more, but Ciel would divulge nothing else about his dear sister.

People gobbled up the small tidbits of his past life like pigeons pecking at breadcrumbs at Hyde Park… so, if it suited him, he would mention things about it every once in a while to pique their interest. He never imagined Sebastian had paid any attention to his dull conversations, though. Apparently he'd have to be more careful about what he said around him.

"So tell me Ursula, where have you been all this time?" He asked, wasting no time getting straight to the inquisition.

"The Cavendish Academy, they kept me prisoner. They were going to hold me for ransom but then they heard about the fire. I escaped sometime after and have been on my own ever since." Lies, all these were lies, but she couldn't tell him the truth. It was too unbelievable… too dangerous. When she had escaped, she had vowed to conceal that part of herself forever.

"You do realize I don't believe a word you're saying, don't you?" He told her, his tone cold and almost conversational. He then fixed her with a look that made her heart drop. "Any ragged young woman could run up to my door and pretend they are the lost Phantomhive daughter. What makes you think I'd believe any of them? Only a fool would welcome a ruddy little urchin like you with open arms. I don't care how nicely you clean up or how well you can masquerade as a woman of nobility… my sister is dead. Once something is lost, it is lost forever. Now, produce whatever shoddy evidence you have prepared to show me tonight if you still feel you must and be on your way."

Ursula was speechless. His accusations cut her to the core and even more so, his cold manner. She felt herself become awash with embarrassment as all eyes became fixed on her. She was at a loss for words at this point and the only thing she wished for was to prove Ciel wrong… to make him see the truth.

Something came to mind then, a memory of little Ciel curled next to her on her bed, afraid of the dark. On nights like those, she would sing to him an old fairy-song her mother taught her in order to calm him.

Clinging to this precious memory, she began to sing.

"The night is soft,

The night is warm.

It holds your dreams,

And takes no form.

So dry your tears,

And hush your cries.

You'll be safe,

Till the sun does rise.

The night is sweet,

The night is kind.

In only dreams,

Escape we find.

So dry your tears,

And hush your cries.

You'll be safe,

Till the sun does rise…"

Finishing the middle chorus, she stopped, unable to continue. The air was thick with tension as all eyes were drawn to her. They could not see her building tears in the dimness of the room but her abrupt silence gripped their hearts. With no siren's song to rock them into complacency, they all had to face the woman before them. Sebastian watched the woman with a satisfied and knowing smile.

She could not bring herself to look at Ciel, not after doing something so personal, so she kept her large blue eyes locked on the tabletop in front of her. During her imprisonment, that song used to haunt her. It teased her about a life that could no longer be. Her shoulders were pointed forwards defensively, her arms pressed close to her sides. No one said a word, not even Ciel. The earl himself seemed to be stunned into silence.

Gathering herself, she stood from her chair, her arms stretching out as she placed her hands on the table. Despite her delicate appearance, she looked full of conviction. She directed her gaze at Ciel then, making him feel as if he were the only one in the room. "I am your sister, Ciel. I always will be… whether you believe it or not."

"Ursula…" he spoke her name, finding he was at a loss for words. That song, her voice, every note, every intonation was just as he remembered from childhood. He now knew she was speaking the truth.

"Please, Ciel." She said holding up her hand to silence him. "It's probably best if I left. It was a mistake coming here… I'm sorry," she breathed, turning from him and running out the door. The moment she was alone, her defenses crumbled and her tears started to flow freely. She couldn't allow herself to stop though. She had to get out of there.

Ciel stared at the open doorway half angered and half in shock. She was running away, he thought. If he let her go now, she'd disappear again. He couldn't allow that… to lose one more member of his family… it was unthinkable.

"Sebastian!" he shouted, his voice edging on desperation. "I order you to stop her!"

Sebastian nodded, a tinge of a smile playing at his lips. "Yes, my Lord." He said before speeding off after Ursula.

He darted through the manor like a flash, sensing her presence and preparing to swoop down upon her like she was prey. Timing himself perfectly, he stepped around the corner of one of the halls and he met Ursula who slammed into his chest. Wrapping his arms around her, he smiled to himself. He had timed it perfectly.

"Sebastian!" she cried out in surprise, trying to dislodge herself from his firm hold. "What are you doing? Let me go at once!" She demanded, now struggling against him.

"Certainly, my Lady. But the young master does not wish for you to leave," he said, slowly releasing her from his arms. Still, he did not get out of her way.

"That's not true," she told him, struggling to get past him and out the door. "He doesn't believe me. It's better off that I leave."

Such dramatics, Sebastian thought. Finally, his young master showed up behind them. It actually looked like Ciel may have broken a sweat over this. Could the boy be that desperate to hang onto remnants of the past? It was like watching an opera unfold before him.

"Ursula, stay," Ciel all but commanded. His blue gaze grew softer then, realizing the gruffness of his approach. "I was being quite ungentlemanly earlier. This is your home too," he explained. "I would like if you stayed."

Ursula turned from Sebastian to face her brother. "Will you ever be able to trust me?" She asked.

"I don't know," he answered.

Silence filled the room then as Ursula considered his words. Though they weren't entirely promising, she could see he was genuine. Finally, she looked up into his eyes, "I will stay… for now."

AN: So sorry for the delay! I hope you all like this chapter and will continue reading! Up next is Chapter 4: Night Terrors where Sebastian gets a glimpse of the real Ursula ;)


	4. Night Terrors

**Chapter 4: Night Terrors **

Ursula's bare feet pounded desperately against the richly carpeted hallways of the manor. Her heart thundered in her chest, each frightened breath bringing her closer and closer to exhaustion. Still, the thought of her pursuers catching up to her was enough for her to keep going.

They must have found her. Not now, not again, she thought frantically. Suddenly, she reached a dead end. Searching for a window or door, she found none… they had her cornered and she was powerless to stop them. First she saw their smiles glinting in the darkness, then the animalistic shine of their eyes. Pressing her back hard against the wall she shrank away from their hands, which were reaching out of the darkness for her.

Screaming as loud as she could, she threw herself away from those wretched hands. Soon, she found herself crying out in terror, her screams ripping her out of her nightmare. A sharp pain ran up her side as she fell onto the hardwood floor next to her bed. Tangled up in her sheets, she erratically glanced around the darkened room, expecting to see her tormenters closing in on her. But there was no one to be found. Just an empty room bathed in moonlight. Though this should have given her some relief, her heart continued to race in fear. She really had thought they'd found her.

Hanging her head, she began to weep silently. How long had it been since she last allowed herself to cry? It must have been a year at least. Her tears slipped off of her porcelain cheeks and lightly dripped onto the parquet floor. Its elegance alone reminded her that she was no longer a prisoner. Still, she couldn't imagine ever not waking up in fear. Time would heal the wounds but that was a future she could not yet see. Suddenly, she heard someone open her door.

"Are you alright, my Lady?"

Ursula gasped, looking up to find Sebastian standing in the doorway holding a lit candelabra. He must have heard her screams and come to make sure everything was all right.

Immediately sitting up, she began untangling herself from the sheets, her cheeks flushing pink in embarrassment. "Yes, I'm fine. Thank you. I'm just not used to waking up here… in this place." She said quickly. She thought of wiping the tears from her eyes but decided they were well hidden in the darkness. There was no sense in letting him know she had been crying. Then, she thought of her nightgown and how it was hiked up to the middle of her thigh. Realizing the butler was getting quite the show, she quickly brushed it down over her knees.

Sebastian merely smiled at her in that clever, distant way as he crossed over to her. Kneeling down, he set the candelabra on the floor next to him. She couldn't help but notice how elegant he was, his handsome face and garnet eyes illuminated by candlelight, his lean body draped in those black tails.

"My young master had trouble sleeping here too at first." He told her making light of the situation. He then saw the tear tracks on her cheeks, the cold sweat on her brow, and the slight trembling of her hands. Suddenly his polite grin faded away. This young woman wasn't just a little scared, she was terrified and not for the reasons she claimed. Something must have happened to her at the Academy. Something terrible enough to haunt her dreams and send her screaming into the waking world. He would have to investigate the issue further to see if she would bring danger into the manor. But for now he would tend to her.

His gaze softened on the young woman as he took in her pretty face. She really was stunning when she was frightened, he thought. Bracing one hand against the mattress next to her head, he leaned in close. Ursula felt the muscles in her abdomen wind up at his intimate proximity. Sebastian then reached up with his gloved hand and slowly wiped a lone tear from her face, his fingers grazing up her high cheekbones. His graceful hand lingered on her porcelain skin far longer than what was appropriate. Her gaze locked on his at the feel of his gentle touch. His red eyes were smoldering as he looked unashamedly back into hers. She wondered what exactly he was playing at.

"You'll get used to it in time," he said, referring to her new living quarters.

"Thank you." She nodded, unsure of what else to say. She then noticed her hand hovering up off the ground as if she were about to reach for him. Realizing how scandalous that was she slowly set the hand in question on her knee.

"Let me help you back into bed," he said, placing the candelabra on her nightstand and offering her his hand. Taking it, they both stood up together.

Ursula stared at her hands in his for a moment before pulling them away. Wordlessly, she crawled back into bed and he pulled the comforter over her.

"Goodnight, my Lady."

"Goodnight, Sebastian… please, don't tell Ciel about this. He has enough to worry about." she told him. Sebastian nodded, thinking that if he did reveal this to his young master, it would spoil the fun.

For the rest of the evening Ursula's dreams were filled with a muddle of candelabras, white-gloved hands, and beckoning red eyes. When she woke the next morning, she was almost dizzy.

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When morning came, Mey-Rin acted as a Lady's maid and helped Ursula get dressed and ready for breakfast. Ursula was leery of the idea, but soon realized it was either deal with Mey-Rin's clumsiness or allow Sebastian to dress her and that certainly wasn't happening. The aforementioned butler had once again magically procured a dress for her to wear so she wouldn't have to spend the day in the black on she wore last evening. Not only could Sebastian find her a dress, it was one that suited her liking. It was of fine green silk with a matching tartan plaid bustle. He even procured a pair of black gloves and a matching hat.

"This dress is very fine, it is," Mey-Rin commented, raising her finger to tap her lower lip. "I wonder how I've never seen it before," she murmured before continuing to lace it up.

Luckily for Ursula, Mey-Rin only tripped once before she was presentable enough to go down for breakfast. Sebastian met her at the foot of the stairs and politely greeted her before leading her to the garden where he had laid breakfast out. He had said nothing about what had happened last night and she was somewhat relieved.

Ciel was sitting at the white tea table on the porch with his legs crossed as he read over the morning paper. It seemed that he had already helped himself to the assortment of scones and pastries that were put out.

"Good morning, Ceil," Ursula greeted before approaching him.

The boy looked up at her before putting his paper down. "I received quite an annoying letter the other day," he began.

Ursula delicately stepped over to the chair across from him as she met his gaze. Clearly, he had something rather serious he wished to talk about. "Oh?"

"It was from our partners at Funtom. They think that because of my age, I am incapable of running the company," he said, reaching into his coat pocket and unceremoniously tossing an opened envelope onto the table. "If you take a look at our books lately, you'd know that is preposterous. We've been more successful now than we've ever been. The partners say they wish to install a temporary head until I become of age. Really, what they want to do is push me out for good."

Ursula stared at him in some sock. "W-what? Our family built this company… have they no decency, no honor?" She burst out, hardly feeling like sitting down to breakfast anymore. Her appetite had all but flown.

"Are you really surprised?" The boy asked, gazing up at her with that blue jewel of an eye.

"No… no I suppose not," she sighed, sinking down into her chair. The idea of Funtom no longer being owned by the Phantomhives was absolutely ridiculous. Something had to be done. "We cannot stand for this Ciel. Surely you wish to fight them, yes?"

"Of course, but it will be quite the undertaking," he said, calmly taking a sip of his tea. Sebastian, who was standing nearby, could see the wheel's turning in the boy's head. Clearly he was up to something.

"Would you be willing to join me in the fight?" asked Ciel, looking over the rim of his cup at her.

"Of course, Ciel," she told him, gazing at the young earl with eager eyes. Both Sebastian and Ciel knew he had her hook line and sinker.

"Good, because I would like you to become the new CEO of Funtom. Make it clear to everyone that the Phantomhives run this company, not corrupt businessmen and opportunists."

Hearing this, Ursula nearly dropped her tea in her lap. Was he really asking her to do this? "A-are you sure, Ciel?"

"Of course," he replied simply. "I would see to the deed myself but there are some pressing matters I must attend to here. Besides, you are of age so they cannot refuse you the position once I endorse you."

"But, I am a woman… they will never accept me," she said, staring down at the patterned tablecloth.

A pleased grin tugged at the corner of Ciel's mouth. "As I said before, it will be quite the undertaking."

Ursula's gaze hardened at the thought of this challenge. She had desired opportunities like this her whole life- she couldn't run away when they were actually being offered to her. Even her father and mother refused to let her participate in anything considered within the male realm. This wasn't just a chance to help Ciel but to also make something of herself as well.

"I'll do it," she told him, her gray eyes meeting his dark blue ones.

Ciel nodded, "Thank you, Ursula. This puts my mind at ease. The more you're seen around the office, personally running the business, the better. Therefore, your position in London should be fulltime. I'll have Sebastian make the proper arrangements."

With that, Ciel excused himself from the table and headed inside, his butler in tow.

"Well that went smoothly," Ciel sighed, pleased with himself. "With her out of the way, I'll be free to wrap up this latest case for the queen. Not to mention, with her living in London, things can return to normal around here."

"It only took you an evening to think of a way to get rid of your sister," Sebastian commented, somewhat impressed. He had suspected his master wouldn't want to put up with her for long, as he did with most houseguests, but this was practically a new record. What a shame, he thought.

"I have the partners at Funtom to thank for that," Ciel replied, deftly making his way up the stairs and down the hall.

"You really are a terrible creature, young master," Sebastian said with a polite smile. The boy merely grumbled at the demon's insult before disappearing into his study.

AN: Review, favor, follow! Sorry it's been so long guys! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter :)


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